Course descriptions
Principles of Microeconomics
Designed particularly for students from a non-economic background, the Principles of Microeconomics course provides you with solid foundation in economic knowledge and skills. The course focuses closely on the operation of international financial markets and looks at the need for – and the effects of – policy measures in the fields of competition and regulation.
Comparative Corporate Governance
From the United States to the Netherlands or Japan, countries around the world implement different systems of corporate governance. The Comparative Corporate Governance course was designed specifically for students on the Law and Economics programme. During the course, you investigate the theories behind, and the characteristics of, corporate governance from both a legal and an economic perspective. You also explore the link between corporate governance and market supervision in the financial sector through case studies.
European Competition Law
The course in European Competition Law enables you to get to grips with the most important legal aspects of competition law and policy in Europe. During the course, you examine the origins and goals of European competition law and discuss the way the law deals with restraints on competition. You also address the question of whether corporate social responsibility should be included in competition law. As part of the course, you also conduct a comparative study of competition legislation from the EU and the USA.
Economics of Competition Law and Policy
From mergers and acquisitions to collusion, predatory pricing and exclusive dealing, competition law is designed to prevent malpractice and ensure that businesses behave in a responsible manner. The Economics of Competition Law and Policy course aims to give you an understanding of company behaviour by exploring the economic theory that underlies competition law. This course builds on the course in European Competition Law, and focuses on the interaction between the economic and legal issues at stake by analysing a series of major case studies.
Regulation and Supervision of Markets
The course in Regulation and Supervision of Markets is designed to give you a sound understanding of the legal principles, institutions and instruments involved in the supervision and regulation of markets, ranging from network sectors such as the energy market to the major financial markets. The course focuses particularly on EU law, exploring how regulatory decisions are made for different industrial sectors, and comparing processes followed in Europe to those followed elsewhere in the world. Key topics covered by the course include the principles of good market supervision, the legal principles and instruments of the European Directives on the financial sector, the European Directives for the liberalisation of the network sectors (e.g., energy, telecoms and post), and the role of national and European regulatory bodies and their processes and practices.
Economics of Regulatory Law and Policy
Focusing closely on the economic features of public utilities and industries, the course in Economics of Regulatory Law and Policy provides you with a sound understanding of the economic issues that industries and regulatory institutions deal with on a daily basis. The course content follows on directly from the course on the Regulation and Supervision of Markets. You explore investment in infrastructure and networks, look at what happens when the integrated network sector lacks any kind of effective competition, and debate the ways in which governments and regulatory bodies can introduce competition. The course also explores the economic impact of government laws promoting competition.